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Food Safety Matters

Food Safety Matters

By: Food Safety Magazine
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Food Safety Matters is a podcast for food safety professionals hosted by the Food Safety Magazine editorial team – the leading media brand in food safety for over 20 years. Each episode will feature a conversation with a food safety professional sharing their experiences and insights into the important job of safeguarding the world's food supply.2025 Food Safety Magazine Art Food & Wine Natural History Nature & Ecology Science
Episodes
  • Ep. 212. Dr. Claire Sand: The Future of Food Packaging and Chemicals of Concern

    Ep. 212. Dr. Claire Sand: The Future of Food Packaging and Chemicals of Concern
    Feb 24 2026
    Claire Sand, Ph.D. is a global packaging leader with 40 years of experience in food science and packaging. As founder of Packaging Technology and Research LLC, her mission is to enable a more sustainable food system by advancing innovations that extend food shelf life and reduce waste. Dr. Sand specializes in leading cross-functional teams, developing technology strategies, and creating implementation roadmaps for complex packaging challenges across the value chain. With over 150 publications to her credit, she is a regular contributor to leading food science and packaging publications and has held adjunct faculty positions at Michigan State University and California Polytechnic State University. Her industry recognition includes Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) Fellow status and the Riester-Davis-Brody Lifetime Achievement Award in Food Packaging. She serves on numerous editorial boards, authored The Packaging Value Chain, and co-chairs PACfoodwaste, a collaborative initiative addressing food waste through packaging innovation. Dr. Sand's career spans leadership roles at General Mills, Kraft Heinz, Nestlé, Safeway, and Total Quality Marketing, with international experience in Germany, Colombia, and Thailand across R&D, market research, and commercialization. She holds a Ph.D. in Food Science and Nutrition from the University of Minnesota and both M.S. and B.S. degrees in Packaging from Michigan State University. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Dr. Claire Sand [19:45] about: Her background in packaging science, early research on migration standards in the EU, and career-long focus on food packaging and chemicals of concernHow she defines "clean packaging" and the importance of using only essential, safe substances in food-contact materialsWhy per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) present unique challenges compared with Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalatesWhy the origin of PFAS (i.e., intentionally vs. non-intentionally added) is becoming less relevant, and how this shift affects regulatory approaches and industry complianceReasons why chemicals of concern (CoCs) are still used in direct food-contact packagingHow varying regulations internationally and among U.S. states impact global brands and packaging suppliers, and why many companies choose to align with the strictest standardsKey challenges in eliminating PFAS and other CoCsHow CoCs intersect with state Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, and why cleaner recyclate is crucial to maximizing end-use value across marketsConcerns with compostable or biodegradable packaging related to chemical contamination, sustainability, and regulationsThe potential for circular economy goals and CoC-free packaging to be synergistic, and the decisions industry may face about recycled content in direct food-contact applicationsActions companies can take to ensure packaging is free of CoC, particularly when dealing with supply chain disruptions or supplier substitutions. News and Resources News FDA Allows Foods with 'Natural' Food Dyes to Claim 'No Artificial Colors' [5:16] FDA Begins Post-Market Safety Reassessment for BHA [6:40] Boar's Head Reopens Production Facility Behind Fatal Listeriosis Outbreak [9:41] FDA Petitioned to Stop Protecting Identity of Companies Involved in Foodborne Illness Outbreaks [13:35] EU Sets Provisional Safe Level for CBD as Novel Food [16:44] Resources "Promising Practices are Being Used to Tackle PFAS in Food Packaging," by Dr. Clare Sand for the December '23/January '24 issue of Food Safety Magazine "In Pursuit of Clean Packaging with No Chemicals of Concern," by Dr. Clare Sand for the December '22/January '23 issue of Food Safety Magazine We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    1 hr and 3 mins
  • Ep. 211. Kathy Sanzo: The Implications of FDA's Synthetic Food Dye Phase-Out

    Ep. 211. Kathy Sanzo: The Implications of FDA's Synthetic Food Dye Phase-Out
    Feb 10 2026
    Kathleen Sanzo, J.D. is Co-Chair of Morgan Lewis' life sciences industry team. She centers her practice on regulatory and compliance issues connected to U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-regulated products. She leads and counsels clients on all legal and regulatory issues concerning food, dietary supplements, and cosmetic product manufacture, approval, marketing, and distribution; food, drug, and device compliance and enforcement matters; and consumer product issues regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and state enforcement agencies, among other areas. A frequent author and co-author on publications related to FDA matters, Kathleen regularly speaks on these issues at industry events. She serves as Vice Chair of the Consumer Product Regulation Committee of the American Bar Association Section of Administrative Law and Regulatory Practice, and is a member of the Food and Drug Law Institute's Medical Products Committee. In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Kathy [32:33] about: Why FDA chose a voluntary approach to phasing out synthetic food dyes, the implications of this approach, and industry's responseWhy state-level food additive restrictions are outpacing federal actionHow the emerging patchwork of state laws creates significant operational and legal challenges for food manufacturers nationwideThe expected supply chain impacts of phasing out synthetic dyes The legal risks companies face, from state enforcement to labeling, false advertising claims, and product liabilityHow companies can prepare by monitoring legislation, securing dependable ingredient suppliers, updating labels, and planning consumer communicationHow state actions on additives may influence consumer expectations, spur industry innovation, and shape food policy over the next decade. News and Resources News FDA Releases Human Foods Program Priority Deliverables and Guidance Agenda for 2026 [5:48] FDA Testing Pinpoints Contaminated Ingredient in Infant Botulism Outbreak [17:44] EFSA Sets Safety Thresholds for Cereulide Toxin in Infant Formula [19:43] EFSA to Advise on Cereulide Levels in Infant Formula Following Global Recall UK Mother's Allegation that Recalled Nestlé Formula Sickened her Baby is Unconfirmed Experts Share Lessons from a Successful Listeria 'Seek and Destroy' Process [23:36] FDA to Hold Virtual Public Meeting on Food Allergen Thresholds, Releases Event Materials [29:44] Sponsored by: CINTAS We Want to Hear from You! Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    59 mins
  • Ep. 210. Campbell Mitchell: Executive Leadership in Food Safety on a Global Scale

    Ep. 210. Campbell Mitchell: Executive Leadership in Food Safety on a Global Scale
    Jan 27 2026

    Campbell Mitchell, M.B.A., is Head of Food Safety and Compliance for Kraft Heinz North America. He has more than 30 years of international experience in food safety, quality management, and risk mitigation. Prior to joining Kraft Heinz, Campbell served as Vice President of Quality and Safety at Fairlife LLC, a $4-billion Coca-Cola-owned dairy brand. He has also held senior leadership roles with Kerry Group and Almarai in the Middle East. Additionally, he founded a consultancy that supported Tiger Brands in Africa.

    A microbiologist by training, Campbell holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration from Massey University in New Zealand. He frequently speaks at industry events on the topics of food safety culture and sustainability.

    In this episode of Food Safety Matters, we speak with Campbell [38:24] about:

    • His childhood experience of growing up in different parts of the world and how it prepared him for an international career working in cross-cultural environments
    • What led Campbell from an education in microbiology to a profession in food safety, which he describes as "more of an art than a science"
    • What his role at Kraft Heinz entails, such as communicating that food safety is more than just lab testing—it's about every decision made within the organization
    • The drivers behind and work involved in Kraft Heinz's decision to phase out synthetic food colorings from its U.S. product portfolio
    • How Campbell manages high-level leadership responsibilities with the task of meeting technical and regulatory requirements for food safety and quality
    • The difference between food safety professionals' and consumers' concepts of "food safety" and how consumer demand influences business decisions
    • Kraft Heinz's near-term objectives for strengthening organizational food safety culture and compliance, starting with an enterprise-wide food safety culture survey
    • Examples of how digital tools can be used to proactively address food safety in complex supply chains, such as artificial intelligence (AI) for predicting when clean-in-place (CIP) needs to be conducted.

    News and Resources

    Eat Real Food: New U.S. Dietary Guidelines Name and Shame 'Highly Processed Foods' [6:29]

    USDA-FSIS Describes Vision for Science-Based Approach to Reducing Salmonella in Poultry [14:35]

    GAO Identifies Areas in Which FDA Has Yet to Fulfill FSMA [24:40]

    Journal Retracts Hallmark Glyphosate Safety Study, Increasing Cancer Concerns [28:33]

    EU Provides Guidance on Shelf-Life Studies to Reflect New Listeria Criteria for RTE Foods [35:09]

    Sponsored by:

    Michigan State University Online Food Safety Program

    We Want to Hear from You!
    Please send us your questions and suggestions to podcast@food-safety.com
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    1 hr and 4 mins
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